29 December 2013

CHIAVARI, Italy – It’s the end of the year, not much
is happening. Christmas is over and everyone seems to be quietly waiting for
2014 to see what surprises it is going to bring. To say things are moving
pretty slowly in Chiavari would probably sum it up nicely but in other parts of
Italy, like Florence and Rome, it’s a little different. Things seem to be
pretty much on track there. Here are two bits and a bob from those two cities
that you might find interesting.

Biblioteca Nazionale di Firenze

The First Bit. . . . is from Florence, Italy

The Biblioteca Nazionale in Florence
Italy is currently hosting a Nicolo’ Machiavelli exhibition. You remember him,
the Florentine writer, astute statesman, humanist, Italian historian,philosopher, ruthless power monger,
father of political science, cunning schemer and unscrupulous politician who
wrote that best selling treatise on how to get and keep power. Of course he
wrote it 500 years ago, but it’s still a best seller in some political circles.

Among the exhibit
highlights are an autographed manuscript of Machiavelli’s L’arte della
guerra, which has been called a Manual for Gangsters, and the original
warrant for Machiavelli’s arrest in 1513. But perhaps the most interesting part
of the exhibit is the Tavola Doria, a depiction of the central scene of
Leonardo da Vinci’s Battle of Anghiari. The massive mural, which is now
lost, was commissioned in 1503 to commemorate the Florentine Signoria’s
glorious victory over the troops of the Milanese army in 1440.

Inna Shevchenko, a well
known pro-abortion activist and leader of the Ukrainian women's movement Femen,
was stopped and arrested this week by Italian police while trying to enter St.
Peter’s Square in Rome to protest the church’s anti-abortion policy. The semi-nude activist tried to wiggle away as
she shouted pro- abortion slogans but police quickly wrapped her in a blanket and
hustled her off into a police car.

Femen is an anti-Christian,
anti-Muslim feminist protest group that originated in the Ukraine but is
currently headquartered in Paris. They are well known in Europe for their
controversial topless protests against sex tourism, religious institutions, international
marriage agencies, sexism and other social issues.

Ms. Shevchenko said that
she, and other members of her movement, often take their clothes off to show
police they are not carrying concealed weapons.

And the last bit, or maybe
this one’s a bob . . . . is back in Florence, Italy

Piazza della Signoria, Florence, Italy

For
those of you who don’t know, in Italy sometimes chestnuts are called marroni, and
marroni are a less than polite name
for a certain portion of a man’s dangling bits. But that isn’t why I found this
bit of etymological research particularly interesting, honest.

In
1282 the historic Torre della Castagna (Tower of the
Chestnuts) in the center of the city of Florence, became the meeting place of
the Florentine Priori delle Arti. The Priori, also
known as the Signoria, was the governing body of the Florentine
Republic.

Tower of the Chestnuts, Florence, Italy

The
members of the Priori delle Arti were elected for two-month
terms, during which time they were not allowed to leave the tower unless in the
company of another member, ensuring that all contact with outsiders was
monitored to reduce the risk of threats or bribery. Now there’s an idea worthy
of revival given the sorry state of politics today.

The Priori were
very influential in the decisions made for the Republic and they used a voting
system similar to the modern day ballot. But instead of using pieces of paper
stuffed in a box, they use chestnuts. The number of chestnuts placed in
small fabric bags indicated the voting preference of each member. In Florentine
dialect boiled chestnuts are known as ballotte - you see where
I’m going with this don’t you - and so there are some scholars who think this
is why ballots are now called ballots. You think?

26 December 2013

CHIAVARI, Italy – December 26,
the day after Christmas, is an important national holiday in Italy. It’s the
day of Santo Stefano. Santo Stefano, (Saint Stephen) was one of the Seven
Apostles, and chosen by Saint Peter to collect donations to help the poor.
He was also one of the first martyrs for Christ. In Italy il giorno di Santo
Stefano is celebrated by feasting on the leftovers, if there are any, of
yesterday’s Christmas dinner.

Panettone and More

In the spirit of Santo
Stefano today’s recipe for bread pudding is a great way to use up any left-over
panettone. I never have left-over panettone, so I also buy extra just to make
this recipe. Panettone are so rich and
eggy that the pudding bakes into an extra-silky custard that contrasts
beautifully with the buttery golden top.

If you want to give your
pudding a little extra zing, you can add a little scotch or marsala to your
beaten eggs before you pour them over the panettone – no more than a teaspoon and
a half of booze though for you only want a hint of flavor. This recipe comes
out best if you use a shallow baking pan.

22 December 2013

CHIAVARI, Italy – There is a big Christmas street
party here in Chiavari this afternoon, with music, panettone and hot chocolate
for everyone. This will be my first encounter with Christmas Chiaverse style,
and I think it’s going to be a lot of fun.

When the Sun Goes Down at Oh Bei, Oh Bei

Last year at this time I was still living near Milan
and the big Christmas blow-out there is the opening of the Oh Bei, Oh Bei. The
Oh Bei, Oh Bei, which means ‘how beautiful, how beautiful’ in Milanese dialect,
is more like a festive bazaar than a Christmas street party and has been big
part of Milanese holiday traditions since 1288.

It’s more like a mega-market in the center of Milan,
set up around the Castello Sforzesco with hundreds of local artisans selling
everything from hand knitted scarves and sweaters to jewelry, toys and
gastronomic delights, including roasted chestnuts and hot cups of mulled wine.
It’s one of the biggest street fairs in Italy and an event no self-respecting
Milanese would ever dream of missing.

There’s more food (and lots of it, plus everything
else) at the Artiginato in Fiera, a massive fair held at Milan’s newest fair
ground, the Fiera di Rho. The Artiginato in Fiera is a multi-cultural event
withartisans coming from as far away as South America and China
to participate. It showcases the workmanship and traditions of hand crafted
goods that have been passed down from generation to generation, the
one-of-a-kind crafts you would only see at a local fair.

As there are times when pictures speak louder than
words, here are some photos of the both the Oh Bei, Oh Bei and the Artiginato
in Fiera. They will surely give you a solid dose of that happy Christmas
spirit.

First up are photos from Milan's Oh Bei, Oh Bei
(which actually means 'How Beautiful, How Beautiful in Milanese dialect). The
photos are all from the Corriere della Sera.

A Walk in the Park with Benefits

So Much to Chose From

Just Adorable

Is That Santa Claus Up There?

Here are his Elves

Round and Round the Castle We Go

AND NOW ON TO THE ARTIGINATO IN FIERA

With a Little Music

And a Little Polenta with Mountain Music

And Cookies

And a BIG Pot of Something That Looks Amazing

And Some Lip Smacking Good Salami From Piedmont

And a Mountain of Sicilian Delights

And the Boss Says Try One of These

And One of These (I don't Know What They Are But They Look Good) Straight From the Oven

About Me

Hi,my name is Phyllis Macchioni and I’m a free lance writer.
My articles have been published in the Washington Post, the Toronto Globe and Mail, the Chicago Tribune, the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the Pittsburgh Gazzette, Women's Wear Daily and other Conde Nast publications. My articles have been translated into Italian and Arabic.